Coming off a state championship, the No. 1 Tigers have enjoyed congratulations before turning the page to the next year.

"In 2007, we came back in '08 and we learned from it," said Katy coach Gary Joseph, whose Tigers won Class 5A Division II titles both seasons despite graduating most of the team in 2007. "It was tough. We had to get our kids back to reality, and the thing that really hurt us was our kids were afraid of failure. The ones in '08, they were afraid of not being good enough to go back to state.

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Key players

Rodney Anderson: The Texas A&M pledge steps in as the featured running back, but he's also dangerous as a receiver.

Kiley Huddleston: The quarterback showed his toughness by playing hurt late in the postseason, and now returns a year wiser.

Jake Blomstrom: The linebacker had 106 tackles last season and will be counted on to help maintain a stout defense.

Key games

Sept. 5 at Alief Taylor: The Lions are always one of Houston's most talented teams, plus this game will be shown live on ESPNU.

Nov. 2 vs. Cinco Ranch: The Tigers beat Cinco Ranch 35-21 last season for the 500th win in the program's history.

Last year's results

Katy went 16-0, won District 19-5A and won the Division II state championship.

"So we had to get that out of our thought process."

Katy made it back a third straight year. In 2009, the Tigers fell 28-17 to Abilene in the state championship. They won another state championship, their seventh overall, last season. The Tigers capped off a record-setting year - their 829 points scored is fifth all-time nationally - with a win over Cedar Hill.

Now the Tigers, who return six starters, turn the page.

"It's not about last year's team. It's about this year's team," Joseph said. "And not worry about how last year's team was able to do things. They have to create their own identity, and that's the difference."

If this year's version comes close, things could work out well.

In addition to the total points, Katy's 116 touchdowns in 2012 are fourth all-time; its 86 rushing touchdowns stand sixth.

"We graduated some great football players - they made the players around them better," Joseph said. "There's no doubt that Adam made our offensive line better.

"There's no doubt that Matt Dimon made our secondary better because he could rush the passer, and Isaiah (Brown) made our front kids and our coverage people better because he was good at that. I'm still waiting to see who's going to make the rest of our kids better."

Strong building blocks

Finding the right pieces has allowed Katy to continue its dominance year after year - the Tigers haven't lost a regular-season game since 2009.

Junior Rodney Anderson is next in line as top running back, but he won't be limited to taking handoffs.

"We have some young kids that are going to be really good football players, but you won't know until you play under the lights, either," Joseph said. "Some of them have showed a maturity level, but it's the ones that are coming back. Can they make the ones around them better?

"If you take them from average to good, or from good to great, then you have a chance to be a decent football team. That's what we're waiting to see."

Reality of situation

Expectations remain high. Katy opens the year as the area's top-ranked Class 5A team and No. 2 in the state. The Tigers will open the year winners of 38 consecutive regular-season games.

"I don't want the pressure on our kids, but so be it," Joseph said. "You have to understand that this is where we're at. We're going to get everybody's best shot, regardless if we're on top or not, because everybody wants to be the one that knocks down Katy.

"That's why it's so important for our kids to understand the level of humility that it takes. It's about the next one, it's not about the last one."